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. r JOHN E. WELCH, 0E HINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

` Letters Patent No. 68,820, dated September 10, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHEELS AND AXE-CONNECTION.

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TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:

Be it known that I, JOHN- F. WELCH, of Hingham, in the county of Plymouth, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Wheel and Axle Connection; and do hereby declare the followingto be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, due reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this i.. .a specification, and in which-f Figure 1 is a Side elevation. Figu're 2, a vertical longitudinal section. i Figure 3, an inner end elevation, and

Figure 4, a transverse section of a carriage-wheel hub 'provided with my invention. Figure 5 is a side view of one of the jaw-clamp bars of the invention. Figure 6 is anv inner side view, and Figure 7 a section of theclamping-nut to be hereinafter described. Figure 8 is a side view of th loose ringcncircling the axle, andl A Figure 9, a representation of the axle-journal, with a portion of my invention applied to it. The object of this invention is to produce a strong, simple, and eiicient device for locking a carriagenvhee to its axle, the invention consisting of a radial series of` bars, formed with annular'jaws disposed within the hub, and surrounding the axle-journal, and jointed to the periphery of a sliding screw-nut, which is advanced or retracted within the hub by means of a screw, applied to or making part of thc outer cap-plate'of thehub, this advancing and retracting of the nut causing acorresponding movement of the uws with respect to a loose collar or ring surrounding the axle, in such manner as to either lock the hub to the `axle or allow it to bc removed therefrom, substantially as hereinafter explained.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, A denotes the hub of a carriagc-whcel properly recessed for t receiving a series of bars, a a a, which extend nearly through it, the outer end of these bars being jointed, in any suitable manner, to the periphery'of a cylindrical nut, IJ, which is disposed within achamber, c, formed in the outer end of thehub, the inner ends of the bars a a a having angularjaws or projections d (l d formed upon them, which abut or bring up against a loose ring, e, which encircles the axle, and revolves in contact with the inner face of a collar, f, formed upon the axle-journal g, which is supported within a box, t, applied to the interior of the hub in the usual manner. Each bar a is further provided with an inclined bearing, a', opposite thel jaw d, to impinge against the bottom of a recess, b', formed in a metallic sleeve, c', applied to the inner end of the hub, as represented in the drawings. The outer cap-plate of the hub is shown atz as extending' into and guided by a short slccve, a, surrounding the end of the hub, the plate c' having a screw, j, applied to its inner p face to screw, into the nut t before referred to. j j,

When it becomes necessary to remove the wheel a jack is to be placed under the axle, and the wheel raised oit' the ground in the usual manner. By -then turning theV platei-in a backward or reverse direction to that in which the wheel usually revolves, the screw j will advance the nut b, and remove the jaws del from contact with the ring e, and allow the wheel to be removed from the axle in order to clean oroil its journal, or for anyothcr purpose, which being donc, the wheel is replaced and the platee' turned in the opposite direction, by which means the screw ,7' will retract the nut b, and the jaws d d d be drawn tightlyup against the ring e, and force ,itgjinf` contact with the inner endmof the journalbox h, asshown in g. 2 of the drawings, thus,.by means of thccoliar..."` t f, securely locking the wheel to the axle, the inward movements of the jaws being caused by the action 'of` `the u p C inclined bearing a' within the recess b. p i, ,l "l

If considered necessary, a packing may be placed between the ringe and the end of thejournal-box, which will eifcctually prevent escape of the lubricating maperial.

The act of drawing the wheel oil the axle will force Vthe arms a a a apart. I have contemplated, however, applying a spring to each of them to accomplish this purpose. Y j

I have also contemplated applying a spring-catch to the hub, in such manner ns to prevent rotation of .-f the screw 7' during the act of backing the vehicle, although in practice it will probably not be found'necessary,

A device constructed as above described is simple, durable, and highly efficient. By its employment a j wheel may be applied to or removed from its axle in a very shortspace of time, and without the use ofany implement. The union of the wheel and axle can always be perfectly maintained, thus preventing wear of the parte, and noise or rattle incident to many other modes of` connection.

I claim the above-described device for locking a. carriage-wheel to its axle, consisting ofrthe plate z', with its screw I7', the nut b, and the'jawbars a a a, combined together, and operating in connection with the ring e applied to the axle, substantially as shown and explained.

JOHN E. WELCH.`

Witnesses:

Cms. H. GRIFFIN, FREDERICK Gnarls. 

